Spirantisation and identity avoidance in Asht Bouyelloul Amazigh

In Asht Bouyelloul Amazigh (ABA), the dorsal stops k and g usually spirantise into ʃ and ʒ, respectively. However, when one of the ABA spirantised dorsals is strictly adjacent to an underlying sibilant, sibilance and anteriority undergo a whole range of identity avoidance effects. Identity avoidance processes may take the form of assimilation, dissimilation or complete blockage of spirantisation. This article is meant to handle the interaction between spirantised dorsals and underlying sibilants, on the one hand, and the different fashions in which identity avoidance is respected, on the other. To get around the complex assortment of ways in which identity avoidance is ensured, we resort to Suzuki's (1998) Generalised Obligatory Contour Principle. In the course of developing our paper, we argue that Suzuki's approach along with the principle of Local Conjunction of Constraints contend successfully with the phenomenon studied herein. Revue Langues et Littératures, Vol. 22 (2012)